The End
by CrystalXShine
Summary: My take on what thoughts ran through the character's minds as the player fades away...One-shot.


Tai walked in front of her for a change, unlike the usual order when they explored dungeons together. But she was fine with that, as she was too exhausted to want to take the lead, anyways. However, another feeling in the young Eevee's heart,_ fear_, was the most prominent. She recalled the terrible conversation she had, near that final wormhole...Grovyle said that she'd fade away, out of existence. As if she never was there to begin with. She had wished for some time to think about it, and the consequences it would have, but reaching the peak of Temporal Tower was the first priority. It was a literal a race against time, one that she and Tai had initially lost but won in the end. And in the middle of their return journey, the words had come back, as clear as crystal.

Was she really going to fade? She didn't have a single chance to consider about it- _No_, she corrected herself, _I tried my best to avoid contemplating it_. Every time her mind had wandered to that particular subject, she had tried her hardest to push it to the back of her mind; her fear of disappearing had held her back from thinking and dealing with it properly. She'd admit it now, she was using the frantic climb up Temporal Tower as an excuse to ignore it all. To pretend the conversation had never happened. She hung her head in shame, and she was unconsciously slowing her gait. Was she really going to fade? Now that the future was altered...shouldn't she have disappeared by now? She held onto the a small, fruitless piece of hope that Dusknoir's words were false. Probably just to scare her out of altering the course of history...right?

Then suddenly, weakness. Every part of her felt suddenly drained of energy, and it was all she could do but keep upright on her paws. She staggered, and with that, she began to pulse softly with light. Tai turned around, and gasped in shock before diving in to catch her before she connected with the ground.

"Akira!" his panicked voice pierced the former silence they had shared.

She was fading. She knew it now, with an utmost conviction. Her body sank into his arms, not possessing energy to resist or get back up. "Tai..." she murmured weakly, sounding apologetic. Arceus, how could she have thought she _wouldn't_ fade? She scolded herself for her idiocy, her hopes mercilessly crushed.

"I-it's alright, I'm pretty sure we have an extra oran berry left in the bag. Here, let me-"

"Don't..." she managed to gasp out. Her soft, magenta eyes only held a delicate sadness as she opened them to meet the Riolu's concerned blue. She blinked sorrowfully. "I...I..." she began weakly. Tears pooled in their depths, reflecting the radiance she was giving off. She then shut them suddenly, tears beginning to spew forth. "I'm so sorry!" she burst out, guilt edging her voice.

"W-what are you sorry for, Akira?" Tai looked at his best friend, startled. It was then he noticed the light she was giving off, which was slowly getting brighter... His eyes widened. "Your body..." he trailed off. He reached over with his paw to touch her fur, wondering how, and why, she was glowing.

She just looked at him with her large, amethyst pools, and it was made clear to Tai that she would not make it. "Tai..." she began weakly, her voice trembling. "Since...since we altered the future-" her voice broke off, "Please, forgive me..."

Tai looked on, her shock and denial reflected in his eyes. "What are you talking about?" he whispered, confused.

"I was born in the future...I'm a Pokemon from the future, as you know...and, since we changed the present...I-I won't exist any longer..." She suddenly felt a sweeping cold rush over her, and the light began to intensify even more. _No! Not yet!_ she protested. _I still have so much more to say!_

She continued softly, albeit more urgently. "Dusknoir, and even Grovyle...said so. I j-just...couldn't tell you. But, by now, it's far too late. I hope you'll forgive me for that..." She shivered and curled closer to Tai's body, the cold getting to be too much for her to bear.

Tai's body started to shudder with suppressed sobs, his eyes tearing up. He couldn't say a word, overcome with shock at what was occurring right before his eyes. _She was fine a moment ago! T-this can't be happening! We just saved the world...and she has to go now!? It's not fair!_ But, he let her go on.

"Before I go, I-I want to ask of you...a favor. Please, make sure that nothing like this...ever happens again. T-tell everybody you meet...about what happened here..."

Tai felt her muzzle buried deep in his fur, and he couldn't hold himself back any longer. He shook his head furiously in denial, and lets his tears loose. "N-no! You just- I can't...!"

But Akira knew he would.

Tai looked despairingly at Akira's limp form, and reminicined to when they first met at the beach. Weren't they in this exact position? He sobbed harder, and his body started to weaken with the stress of it all. Of his continuous crying, of endless fighting...and of the fact that his best friend was slipping away in his very arms.

Akira managed to speak up again. "Tai...you may end up...forgetting me, once this is all over..."

Tai's crying halted suddenly, and he froze up. "W-what? Why would I...forget you, of all people?!" he choked out. "How could you think I would forsake you!? You're my best friend..."

It shattered Akira's heart, seeing him like this. But, she had to hold on...

She put a shaky paw reassuringly on Tai's shoulder. "I told you before, I'm...sorry..." Her voice softened, and faded out completely.

Tai could only hold her closer as her body shone with a brilliant light. Her paw slumped off of his shoulder and her magenta eyes closed for the final time. However, he refused to look away as the sight dazzled his tear-filled eyes.

Then, the light dissipated, headed towards the sky. Akira, and everything connected to her, was no more.

And Tai suddenly wondered why he was on the ground, crying. He felt sad...but for what reason? No matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find one, and sighed. _Probably isn't too important, then..._he thought, picking himself up off the rocky path. He had a guild to return to, and he had to share the good news with the others.

But, as he started walking away, he missed a sorrowful _"Goodbye..."_ that echoed on the wind.

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**Explaining the Ending:** It's always been my thought that once the player fades out of existence, all evidence that they were alive, including memories, would fade away along with them, too. Since, you know, they technically don't exist anymore...

Akira is a female Eevee, and Tai is a male Riolu.

**A Note from the Author: **Since this is my first story, I would greatly appreciate any feedback on it. Did I use too many ellipses? Was there anything in there that sounded awkward? I would like to know your opinions on how well or how poorly I did. Thanks in advance!


End file.
